Chapter 40

forty

PAUL

Two days later, I carefully placed the last cake in Liam's truck. I was more than happy with how everything had turned out. Now all I had to do was drive into Sunrise Bay and decorate the cakes at Jonathon's candy store.

"Where would you like this box?" Liam asked.

When I'd left Milwaukee, I'd packed my cake decorating supplies and brought them with me. At the time, I thought I wouldn't need them, but I didn't want to leave them behind.

"The box will be okay on the back seat. If you wrap the seatbelt around it, it shouldn't move. Do you think the cakes will be all right?"

Liam moved to the back of the truck and opened the topper. I'd wrapped blankets around each cake box. A stretchy bungee cord was anchoring them against the back wall. They looked okay to me, but a second opinion might make them extra safe.

"Unless I roll the truck, they should be fine."

I breathed a sigh of relief, then frowned. " You don't need to come with me. The roads aren't too bad at the moment."

Liam sent me one of his ‘you can't be serious' looks.

"It's not that far," I added. "And I'm a good driver."

"It doesn't matter whether you're a good driver or not. I'm here to protect you and Amy. I can't do that if you're twenty minutes away with the only truck on the property."

"Amy will get bored. Even with the work we've done, I'll still be at the store for most of the day."

Liam wasn't impressed with my reasoning. "I'm sure we can find something interesting for Amy to do. You can't go on your own."

I clamped my lips together. I wasn't sure what Jonathon would think when everyone arrived. Liam didn't look like a bodyguard, but he sure could act like one. "Do you ever get tired of telling people what they should do?"

"Only when they don't listen to me."

There wasn't much I could say to that.

Liam locked the back of the truck. "If you're tired of my company, you'll be pleased to know that another special agent will arrive on Friday morning. They'll look after you for four days."

My heart pounded. "Are you coming back?"

"At this stage, I am."

I'd always assumed Liam would stay with us for as long as it took for the terrorists to be caught. The thought of not seeing him again left me close to tears.

I pushed my hands into my jacket pockets. "We'll miss you."

Liam held my gaze for so long that I had to look away.

He moved away from the truck and stood in front of me. "I need to sort through a few things at work. I'll call you if I'm reassigned to another job. "

With a sinking heart, I nodded.

"It's not that bad." He held onto my hands. "You're safe here. Besides, by the time I come back, you could be getting ready to leave."

Amy rushed down the front stairs. "I found Dolly," she yelled.

I plastered a smile on my face and turned toward her. "That's great. Liam said you're coming with me."

"And Dolly, too," Amy said breathlessly. "Liam helped me pack my paper and crayons. He said we're seeing Jonathon at Candy Lane. And if I'm really good, he'll take me to the library and read me a story."

I straightened Amy's hat. I wished I could be as excited as my niece, but I was worried Liam would stay in Boulder. "Visiting the library sounds like fun."

Amy nodded and grinned at the man who'd become the center of her universe. "We'll read Liam's favorite book ever. It's called…" Amy's nose scrunched up tight. "I don't remember what it's called, but it's about a bear who eats lots and lots of honey. I love honey."

Liam's eyes filled with warmth. "The book's called Winnie the Pooh. Let's get you into your car seat while Paul finds the last of his things."

Without hesitation, Amy climbed into the truck.

I sighed. I wasn't the only person who'd be disappointed when Liam left Sunrise Bay. Amy had become his shadow, following him wherever he went. She'd be lost when he went away. Devastated if they didn't see him again.